Industrial Distribution articles from January 2007

Industrial Distribution archives from January 2007

Around and About.(distribution industry)
January 1, 2007... Edited by Brad Perriello, brad.perriello@reedbusiness.com Travel Channel profiles tools manufacturer Brad Perriello You probably remember John Ratzenberger from "Cheers," the popular 1980s sitcom in which the actor played bumbling...

Associations.(National Association of Manufacturers radio program 'America's Business' to be aired on 71 radio stations)(attendees of NAtional Association for Hose and Accessories Distribution's meeting require passports to attend the meeting)(National Assn. of Wholesaler-Distributors' Distribution Research and Education Foundation to release a report)
January 1, 2007... Edited by Joe Nowlan, jnowlan@reedbusiness.com NAM's "America's Business" now on radio nationwide "America's Business," the National Assn. of Manufacturers' public affairs radio program, is now being aired on 71 radio stations around...

Calendar.
January 1, 2007... Edited by Joe Nowlan, jnowlan@reedbusiness.com Jan. 30-Feb. 1 NAW Executive Summit 2007 Washington, D.C. www.naw.org Feb. 7-10 International Builders Show Orlando, Fla. www.buildersshow.com Feb. 9-12 CAFA...

Benefits and the bottom line.(compensation and employee benefits management)
January 1, 2007... By Phillip M. Perry, Contributing Editor Take a good, hard look at your benefits package to make sure you're doing what's best for employees and your company Controlling the rising cost of employee benefits is a challenge that never...

Jeff Pickelman /Northern Industrial Supply.(Interview)
January 1, 2007... Staff How has business been lately? Overall, our business is up slightly--more than 5 percent year to date--particularly due to the addition of a new branch in Gaylord, Mich., a couple of new contracts associated with that branch, and some...

Time to end the war on customers.(customer service)
January 1, 2007... Jack Keough, Editor/Associate Publisher A few months ago I was in the market for a new car, so I stopped at a dealership where I had previously been a customer. When I mentioned to the sales rep that I had bought cars there before, he...

Go global, but stay local.(W.W. Grainger Inc. plans expansion)(Company overview)
January 1, 2007... By Victoria Fraza Kickham, Managing Editor W.W. Grainger may be expanding outside North America, but its 'local presence' philosophy remains a key part of this company's growth strategy Three years ago, W.W. Grainger embarked on a...

The urge to merge.(mergers and acquisitions in the industrial distribution)
January 1, 2007... By Brad Perriello, Associate Editor Consolidation is rampant in the industrial distribution market, as eager buyers and sellers take advantage of the sector's popularity with private equity investors Mergers and acquisitions in the...

Business growth to slow in '07.
January 1, 2007... By Brad Perriello, Associate Editor Economists predict slower growth this year, as commodities prices normalize and some market segments continue to struggle The United States economy will grow at a slower pace this year than it did in...

Airgas buys firms in Alabama, Michigan.
January 1, 2007... Staff Airgas Inc. acquired Alabama-based Southern Welding Supply Inc. and Alpena Supply Co., headquartered in Alpena, Mich. The deals bring the total number of Airgas acquisitions in fiscal 2007 to 10, with acquired sales of more than...

Record turnout for STAFDA's 30th.(Specialty Tools and Fasteners Distributors Association's Annual Meeting and Convention )(Conference notes)
January 1, 2007... Staff More than 6,000 people turned out for the 30th Annual Meeting & Convention of the Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Assn., held Nov. 13-15 in Las Vegas. Turnout was 20 percent higher than last year's show in Baltimore, and was...

Bearings and Drives founder dies.(John Drewry Nations)(Obituary)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Staff John Drewry Nations, chairman and founder of Macon, Ga.-based Bearings and Drives Inc., passed away in October. He was 88. Nations founded Bearings and Drives in Griffin, Ga., in 1947, after returning home from World War II. The...

International conference draws 70 executives.(Global Industrial Marketing Organization)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Staff Some 70 top executives from a variety of companies learned about doing business internationally from experts in logistics, procurement and distribution during a two-day seminar Nov. 19 and 20 in Chicago. The keynote speaker was...

New Products.
January 1, 2007... Staff Hydraulic hose Staff The ParMax 761 Series hydraulic hose is a long-lasting hose made for extremely high-pressure applications; offers a constant working pressure of 8,000 psi; and features an inner tube of oil-resistant...

Motivate your sales force.(sales management)
January 1, 2007... By Jack Keough, Editor It's a sales manager's toughest, but most important, job There's a memorable scene in the movie "Glengarry Glen Ross" in which a sales manager, played by Alec Baldwin, addresses his staff and tells them of a...

Business: It's not all good.(value added selling)
January 1, 2007... By Tom Reilly You don't want every order; weeding out bad business can save you time and effort All business is not good business. There is some business you want the competition to have. The key to success is knowing the difference...

Is lack of technology holding you back?
January 1, 2007... By Stefan Hoffmann A guide for mid-sized distributors hoping to enter the global marketplace Mid-sized distribution companies face unprecedented challenges in today's marketplace. While distributors struggle to enter global markets,...

It's still about relationships.(manufacturer-distributor relationships)
January 1, 2007... By Jeff Campbell Irwin Industrial's Jeff Campbell discusses how manufacturer-distributor relationships are still the key to success I have had the opportunity to work closely with members of the Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors...

What the "new" Congress means for business.
January 1, 2007... By Jade West Will the Democratic majority mean changes in labor? Health care? Taxes? The swearing-in of the Democrat majority in Congress this month ended 12 years of Republican control. Was the 2006 election the result of a...